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Atticus Finch Lawyer

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You know all those stereotypes about lawyers being nasty, money-grubbing people? Well, meet Atticus Finch and Jake Brigance, two brave and courageous lawyers who stand up for righteousness and justice rather than the majority. The two characters are both southern American lawyers and loving fathers who fight against racism in their hometowns. They are both driven by an interior strength, and both are deathly loyal to their families who became targeted by those that disagreed with what the lawyers were attempting to do. In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill A Mockingbird and Joel Schumer’s movie A Time To Kill both lawyers express the similarities and differences through the way they defend their client, their experience as lawyers and the way they …show more content…

Their difference in age and Jacks lack of experience effects the way they treat the case. Atticus is Maycomb’s most respected attorney, related by family history to most of the white community in his town. He is also acquainted with the and respected by Maycomb’s black citizen. Tom Robinson’s case comes to him at the request of Judge Taylor, who knows that Atticus will do his best to give Tom a fair trial. “Link, that boy might go to the chair, but he’s not going till the truths told…And you know what the truth is” (146). This quote shows that Atticus won’t let anything get in the way of Tom having his day in court. He is determined to tell the truth that Tom did not rape Mayella Ewell no matter if everyone in the town is against him. Atticus knows he has a lot to loose for defending Tom, but he knows that if he doesn't defend him then no one will. Jake, in contrast competes in cases that will bring his reputation up. He is an up and coming attorney who in not experienced enough and needs something to boost his reputation in the town of Clanton. Jake knows that winning Carl Lee’s case will earn him a great deal of notice, such a win would advance his career in a major way. Although this wasn’t his main reason why he took the case, but it was Jake’s motivation. Jake's main reason he took the case was "When [he] looked at [his daughter] … [he] cannot help but think about Tonya,” he didn't want the same thing that happened to Tonya happen to his own daughter.The reason he took the case in the beginning was because of selfish reasons because of his feeling of guilt, and not wanting the same thing to happen to his young daughter rather than taking the case only out of the kindness of his heart, as Atticus did. Given these points, I believe that Jake taking Carl Lee’s case bring him into the black community in a new way, increasing his understanding as a young lawyer

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